


Promise

by Phantom248



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen Live, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brandon Stark Lives, Elia Martell Lives, Elia Martell gets a happy ending, F/M, Gen, Infidelity, Not Lyanna Stark friendly, Plotting, Rebellion, Revenge, Smol Aegon Targaryen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:22:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phantom248/pseuds/Phantom248
Summary: In order to make his daughter queen, Tywin Lannister offered to rebuilt the Summerhall. So how would have Cersei reacted to the events of Harrenhal tourney? More importantly, how would have this changed the fate of the Targaryen dynasty, and in turn, the fate of Seven Kingdoms?
Relationships: Cersei Lannister/Rhaegar Targaryen, Jaime Lannister/Elia Martell, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen(minor)
Comments: 53
Kudos: 173





	1. 1

The door to her room suddenly banged open, startling Cersei and her ladies in waiting, as her husband burst in.

 _Oh, so dragon finally awakens,_ she thought sourly.

“Out. I want to talk to my wife. Alone.” Rhaegar said, his jaw clenched.

Gradually, everyone filed out of the room, until it was just two of them.

Cersei smoothened her skirts and relaxed into the chair. _Never show your weakness,_ her mind whispered, though she was sure there wasn’t any left. Dealing with a mad king and his delusional, prophecy chasing aloof prince tends to do that. The Crown Prince behaved like everything he does is a heavy burden weighing down his soul. Even in bed. Ugh. Honestly, what did she ever saw in him?

“I heard that you found the Knight of the Laughing Tree’s shield. What are you going to do with it?”

“Why, worried for your mistress?”

Rhaegar stopped, rage overcoming him for a moment, “How did you know about her? And don’t you dare say that.”

“Alright. Your soon to be mistress.”

He sighed, frustrated. “Cersei, it was just a tourney crown. Nothing else. I have told you many times there is nothing between me and Lady Lyanna.”

That name suddenly infuriated her, _so that whore is Lyanna now, not Stark._ “The frequent meetings “accidentally” happening between both of you suggest otherwise.”

“Cersei, don’t change the subject. How did you know about it?”

“You often seem to forget, Your Grace, who my family is.”

“What do you want?”

That caught her off guard. That was sudden.

“What do you mean, Husband?”

“Your uncle gave that shield to the King but claimed to know nothing about its wielder. You knew who the Knight was, but you said nothing. You are going to use the information. But how you are going to do that, I can’t figure it out.”

Oh. So Rhaegar thought she was going to blackmail him. Cute. Like she can’t get rid of that girl without dirtying her hands. For a moment, she lost herself to that fantasy, but no. That would be too easy for that upstart.

“Fine. What will you do in exchange?”

Now frustration was evident on his face. “I already promised you I will fix everything. You just have to trust me.”

Cersei laughed sharply at that, “Oh, dear Husband of mine, why do you think I will trust you on this? Your definition of fixing everything is very different from mine.”

“I know you are angry right now. Think wisely about your next step, or you may regret it.”

She suddenly stood up, her beautiful features twisting in anger. “Oh, I will regret it? Like you regret humiliating me in front of our families and realm? I am the mother of your son and soon to be child. I didn’t deserve being insulted in front of everyone, but still, you did it. I am a Lannister, how do you think I was going to take that insult?”

Rhaegar sighed again, like he was tired of everything. “I didn’t intend to insult you. But you know about the prophecy-“

“I am warning you, Husband, you don’t want to make an enemy of me over some mystical nonsense. Otherwise, _you_ will be the one to regret it.”

For a moment she thought that he was going to snap or hit her over this disrespect, but rationality won over, “Alright. I won’t try to contact her, and in exchange, you will not tell anyone about this secret. I want your word.”

She sneered. “Oh silly me. _Really_ , Your Grace, you thought I was going to make a deal with you? Since when did I agree to that? You are not the only one I have to deal with.”

Rhaegar froze, “What did you do?”

Cersei turned around and walked towards the window, a picture of relaxation. “What I should have done earlier. I contacted Lord Stark and warned him. What would people think when they learn that the daughter of a Lord Paramount is conspiring against the Crown? Tsk, tsk, that poor man will be crushed. Well, if he survived the ordeal, that is.”

That was satisfying. Lord Stark wasn’t happy to hear the allegations against his precious, innocent daughter, but she made herself clear. He needs to control that girl, period. If he can’t, well, she can’t be blamed for what will happen to the Stark family. And their honor. God forbid something to their honor.

The look of helpless rage and frustration that crossed that chit’s face soothed her injured pride, but only for a moment.

Her Husband stood there, shock and horror plain across his face. “What have you done?”

Her reply was the same. “What I should have done.”

For a moment, he stood there, frozen in shock, or maybe anger. She didn’t know. She didn’t care, either. “I need to fix this.” Then he suddenly burst into movement, clearly intending to exit the room, making it clear that the conversation was over.

But Cersei wasn’t going to let him have the last word.

“A moment, Husband.” She called, placing her hands on the window sills. Rhaegar on the other hand, froze, halfway through the door. She continued.

“Stop justifying your actions with the prophecies and mystics. Should you insist on continuing on this foolish path, you will lose everything. “

“Is that a warning, Wife?”

“No, it’s a promise, Husband.”


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to update this earlier, but I didn't got time. Also, the number of chapters has been changed. Enjoy.

Considering everything, the rebuilt Summerhall never failed to impress its onlookers. Even the King was impressed. The most impressive thing about the castle was not its architecture and beauty, but the time in which it was rebuilt. It was a well-known fact that if it were anyone but the Lannisters reconstructing the place, they would have been poor and destitute by the time even a quarter of the residence would have been rebuilt in such a short amount of time.

In the past, Summerhall was a symbol of the Targaryen Dynasty, but now, it became a symbol of Lannister's power. Subtly, of course, no need to enrage the King more than he already was.

Cersei loved every moment of her time in the castle. Sure, it wasn’t Casterly Rock, but Summerhall was much preferable to the gloomy and foreboding Dragonstone, or the stinking Kings Landing with its backstabbing, shitty people. Now don’t get her wrong, Cersei loved to prove herself superior in the political arena, but even she had her limits, watching her good mother, lovely Rhaella, her mother’s dear friend, being tortured every day by that Mad King and being helpless, unable to do anything to help her. At least here, she could host the Queen and Prince Viserys every few months. It was a shame Rheagar couldn’t come here.

In that regard, King’s former mistresses were very helpful, even in death, as convincing that mad buffoon Aerys that his enemies could harm his second prince was a child’s play for Cersei and her father. Cersei smirked, remembering how she played the King like a fiddle, helped by her resemblance to her dead mother.

“Mama! Mama! Look what I found!”

Smirk quickly melting into a gentle smile; she turned towards her son, who was dashing towards her at a great speed, clutching a small, grey kitten carefully to his chest.

“Aegon, how many times have I told you not to run inside? What if you slip?” Cersei gently scolded the toddler, bending down to his level.

Aegon skidded to a halt, bowing his head in apparent shame.

“… not to do it?”

“Is that a question?”

“But Mama,” Aegon whined, clearly impatient to show his discovery to his mother. “I just wanted to go to the gardens, but you weren’t there, and neither was Mera, or George, so I had to go out alone, and and and-“

She needed to have words with her son’s nanny and caretakers. If they can’t keep an eye on her child, then they didn’t deserve the duties they were given. She turned back to her son’s babble just in time, watching the small grey kitten in his hands carefully for any sign of fleas or filth.

“- and I know you said to not to bring any more animals, but she is so small and she was finding her mother I think but there was no one there and she just won’t go away even when I tried to shoo her away so I picked her up and now she won’t get down and-“

“Breath Aegon,” Cersei sighed. There were many traits of her son that she loved. He was intelligent, much more than his peers, kind, cheerful, could wrap anyone around his fingers. But the thing that she loved most was his gentle soul. Her son was so innocent and pure, much different than anyone in both families. Sometimes she wondered how Gods could have blessed her with such a perfect being.

That does not mean she had to endure his habit of bringing strays. Aegon had a really strange affinity with animals. It was fine when it was just small birds, but then other animals started wandering in the general direction of her son, making her wonder if she had to arrange for a separate wing in the castle for the animals her son had somehow accumulated.

“You cannot add another kitten to your pets Aegon. How will you give attention to all of them? You already have so many dogs and cats as it is.”

Well, ponies, horses, and hounds too, but she put her foot down. Her brothers, cousins, uncles, and good brother have to wait until Aegon is older.

“Pleased Mama? George will help me, And Renly also wanted to have a kitten, so she can stay with me for now, and when he comes here, I will give her to him!”

Lord and Lady Baratheon, in an attempt to bridge the gap between the cousins, sent all of their sons to Sumerhall when she first came here. Rheagar was a lost cause, more so after the Harrenhal tourney and it seemed like Robert was too for some time. But no one was able to resist Aegon. Renly was instantly smitten, even dour Stannis was charmed. It took some time for Robert to melt, but when he did, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It also helped that when Rheanys was born, Cersei offered to foster Robert’s bastard daughter in an attempt to give her daughter a loyal friend, playmate, and a servant. Sure, she was a bastard, but the more you feed them scraps, the more loyal they are. Waste not, want not, and all that.

“Alright, you can keep her, but only for now.”

Hearing this, Aegon cheered. She stood up, smoothing her skirts, and grabbed her son’s hand, intending to check on her daughter and to send someone to fetch Aegon’s servants. Aegon carefully cradled the kitten in his other hand, chattering all the while, wondering if his baby sister would like the small animal.

Halfway to the nursery, they were interrupted by a servant, who hastily bowed, clutching a piece of parchment. “Your Grace, there is a missive for you from the Kings Landing.”

Wondering if the message was from her father, she took the rolled missive and opened it. And promptly resisted the urge to break something.

Carefully breathing, she managed to get out through clenched teeth, “Take the Prince to the nursery and send for his servants. I need to do something.”

The servant bowed, carefully ushering the little Prince to the nursery. Cersei, meanwhile, changed her direction towards her solar, intending to write several missives to different persons.

_So, it has begun._

“What have you decided, then?”

Cersei and her uncle, Kevan Lannister, were sitting in her solar, separated by a table. On the table was the missive from the Grand Maester Pycelle, informing her about the alleged kidnapping of Lyanna Stark by her husband. Alleged, because she was sure that halfwit girl would not have wasted a chance to run away with the crown prince, so confident about her _true love_. She was delusional and stupid. Or ambitious and stupid. But none of that mattered for Cersei.

She stayed silent for a moment, then replied. “I know what father was, no, is planning. I wanted no part of it.”

“And now?”

That was the question, wasn’t it?

Tywin Lannister was no fool. Just because they got the Crown Prince didn’t meant that they won the game. After Cersei and Rheagar’s betrothal was finalized, Tywin did his best to remove any obstacle they could face. Including the decision to marry Jaime to the Dornish Princess. The King could change his mind on a whim. He could annul Cersei’s marriage any time, declaring her children bastards, and then marry his son to Elia Martell. Best to nip that in bud. Sure, Elia was older than Jaime, but he was so smitten with her that it didn’t take much to convince him.

Another was the plan to depose the King. They simply could not take any chance with that mad murderer. But the way of deposing wasn’t decided. Poison or captivity, Lannisters were still mulling on that.

But Cersei didn’t want her children to become a part of that shit show, so she stayed away from the whole matter.

But now, things were different. Very different.

“It’s obvious, I can’t stay out of this anymore. I have to protect Aegon and Rheanys.”

Kevan looked at her, silently contemplating something, and then he firmly nodded. “Good. That means we won’t waste any time. Our men are carefully scattered throughout the King’s Landing. No one can move in or out from that place without us knowing.”

Cersei’s lips twisted for a moment, “Right now I am more worried about Starks. Robert can be handled; I have already written to Lord Baratheon, he can deal with his son. But Starks are another matter entirely. Already they are painting the entire debacle as kidnapping and rape, like they don’t know what happened.”

“Again, no one can move without us knowing.”

“But I also want to deal with Rheagar. I still don’t want to do anything with the King, but my husband has crossed his limits."

Kevan smirked, “Well then, if you have a bone to pick with that idiot, then you wouldn’t have any problem with our plan.”

Cersei rolled her eyes. “Mind sharing that grand plan of yours?”

“A rebellion.”

“…what??

Kevan eagerly leaned towards her. “Think about it. What is the best way to get rid of King, Crown Prince, and our enemies in a single move? And to do it in such a way that we come out not only on top but also smelling like roses. People are already whispering about the King’s fitness to rule, many Lords know that he has gone mad. We light the sparks of rebellion through the North, starting a small civil war. The Prince can easily be felled in the battlefield or disappeared, King poisoned, and Starks cowed and humiliated, which will serve as a lesson for the insult they gave us.”

She groaned. _Father was going to incite a civil war just to cow the Starks. What in seven hells was he thinking._ It sounded stupid. That idiotic family could be dealt with easily. How was it that the Starks have managed to offend her father, who calculated his every single move with a huge dose of paranoia that he was going to such heights just to crush them? “By Gods, Uncle! Fine, we start a rebellion. Then what? How will we deal with it? And for that matter, how _will_ we start it?”

Kevan relaxed in his chair, adopting a haughty expression. “Don’t be daft Cersei. It doesn’t suit you. Dorne is with us, so are Stormlands because of Aegon. The whole Baratheon family loves little tyke, and by dangling Stark Girl and the promise of revenge in front of Robert, he will be pacified. Plus, you have his bastard, so it won’t take much to convince him. Reach can be brought in line with the prospect of marriage, and Dragonstone is already loyal to Targaryens, no need to tell them who the new king is going to be. Iron Islands won’t fight for either side, cowards. Tullys can be problematic though, that man is opportunistic as fuck. As for Vale, well, I don’t think Lord Arryn will go against his heir.”

Cersei interrupted, “Robert and Eddard Stark were fostered by Lord Arryn. What makes you think that Vale won’t do anything?”

“Oh you don’t know then,” Kevan was delighted, apparently having an upper hand on her. Cersei scowled in reply. “Tywin and Elia were negotiating a betrothal for Arryn heir. I must say, that girl does not look like much, but she is as sharp as her brothers. Even Great Tywin Lannister was fooled.”

“As for your other question”, he continued, “well, we did catch some wolves just a few days ago. Jon Arryn’s heir among them.”

Even though she was surprised at the news, she didn’t show much reaction. “Oh?”

“Apparently, Brandon Stark with some of his northern friends was going to storm the Red Keep, demanding Rheagar’s head for the supposed insult. The Arryn Heir tried to stop those fools, but they were beyond reason. We were fortunate that neither spider nor the King’s cronies were there, so Stark heir was arrested along with his companions, Tywin pacifying the King with the promise that he will handle this. Right now, all of them are enjoying the Lannister hospitality, with Elia working her magic on Arryn boy, so we are confident he can be reasoned. Also, a letter was sent to Lord Stark, instructing him to collect his wayward heir. So when he reaches the Kings Landing…”

Cersei finished his sentence “The King will capture him.”

“Exactly.”

She relaxed a bit. Sure, there were many holes in that plan, and she was still wondering wh her father was taking a risk of civil war with the North, but that wasn't her problem right now. If they were careful, they would be victorious.

 _Besides,_ she smirked, _I promised you a reckoning, Husband, didn’t I?_

Everything went according to plan, until the King ordered Lord Stark’s execution by fire.

_Well, something had to go wrong, doesn’t it?_

Fate was still on their side though, because when King Aerys gave the order for execution, only a few people were present. The Queen, Prince Viserys, pyromancer Lord Hand, Pycelle, the Captain of Gold’s Cloaks, and two Kingsguard; Prince Lewyn Martell and Ser Barristen Selmy.

Nevertheless, Pycelle managed to smuggle out a message to Jaime, who was present in the city along with his good brother Oberyn. Somehow, both of them managed to smuggle Rickard Stark out of the Red Keep, knocking him out with some drug. With the help of Captain of Gold’s Cloak and Lewyn, they left behind a burned corpse with roughly the same height as Lord Stark. When the King asked them about the captive lord, they made the excuse that the man was already lying dead in the cells, so they burned his corpse because of King’s previous order. Fortunately, it worked.

The problem with this was that they wanted to incite a rebellion, not enrage the North for an apparent _righteous_ cause. So they started to face setbacks when it got out that the King ordered the execution of Rickard Stark. First was the loss of Robert. He was already with the Ned Stark and Lord Arryn, so when he heard the news, he was enraged to the point of committing King slaying. Not only that, The Mad King had sent a raven to Lord Arryn to bring the Stark heir to the capital. he wanted to make him grovel, and if mood stuck him, have him killed. It didn’t help that no one could find Brandon Stark, and his friends along with Arryn heir, who were sons of minor lords of North, which served as fuel to the fire, as everyone assumed that they were executed too.

Hence when the news of Hoster Tully marrying his elder daughter to Ned Stark and younger to Lord Arryn, they decided to change their tactics.

At first, Tywin wasn’t sure that marrying his heir to Dornish Princess was the right choice. When he saw that frail girl, he itched to wrap his fingers around her neck, but he held himself back. His grandson needed allies, and he couldn’t afford to alienate Dorne with their Targaryen ancestry.

To say he was wrong about his good daughter was an understatement. When they heard the news that Vale and Riverlands have sided with the North, along with some minor Lords of Stormlands who wanted to curry favor with the Baratheon heir, they were stumped. But somehow, Elia got her claws in Elbert Arryn so deep they were astonished. She convinced him that his uncle wanted an heir of his own, so no one would care if something happened to Elbert. And even if his uncle knew about him being alive, he was already married, and if he got a son from his new wife, he wouldn’t have any need for his nephew, would he? Of course, she was _worried_ about him, she wanted him to be a part of her family, but even if Elbert doesn’t marry with any of her relations, then she was content with them being good friends. Poor Elia, she felt so alone among the lions, with her being pregnant and her husband away at Kings Landing, what if something happened to her only friend?

Being a sucker for helpless pretty women, and half-mad at his Uncle, Jon Arryn for casting him aside, he wrote several letters to Vale Lords, informing them of his good health and his suspicions about Lord Arryn. Vale Lords were loyal to Jon Arryn, true, but they liked his nephew too, and they were angry about their Lord marrying the Tully girl. There were already rumors about her affair with some minor lord, what if she foisted a bastard on her husband and claimed it a trueborn?

So Vale was now out of the equation, and that was enough for Lord Lannister. Skirmishes were already started, and rebels were gaining some ground, so it was better for them to have Vale being neutral than them fighting in the rebellion. They could have done this without Elia, but it wouldn’t have been easier. As for the Stormlands, Cersei was dealing with the Baratheon Lord. King Aerys had ordered him to bring his Heir to the capital, so she spread a rumor about a plague in the Stormlands, which gave Cersei time to send her children to Casterly Rock, and to talk with Lord Baratheon and convince him to not do anything in answer to the King’s order. About Robert, they will try their best to not harm him, but it was Baratheon’s duty to control him and their lords, which he promised to do so.

Now that most of the Vale had pulled out of the war, the final stage was set. It was time the Seven Kingdom’s was reminded what were the consequences of having Lannisters as their enemy.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some surprises are revealed. But things are still getting worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only thing I can say in my defense is that I have been so busy, I can't even sleep properly. But I really hope to complete this story till mid-September. Enjoy:)

_In a way, Elia is grateful for all the insults Tywin gave to her and her family._

_If not for that, she wouldn’t be the woman she was now._

_Her whole family flew into a rage when they realized that Lannisters were attempting to marry their daughter to the Crown Prince. Wasn’t it enough that they insulted the Martells? And now, they were trying to take Elia’s potential husband._

_She disagreed._

_What can that boy do for her? For Rhaegar was just that, a boy, even though they were almost of the same age. She wanted someone passionate about life, with which she could have love. That prince was a scholar at best, and he had no real knowledge of harsh realities of life, uninterested in anything except his books. If her betrothal with Targaryen heir had finalized, she would have obeyed her family’s wishes. But it didn’t happen, so she was relieved._

_But the question remained, who was she going to marry?_

_Martells attempted to negotiate a betrothal with Arryns, but Elbert liked someone else. She gracefully bowed out of that situation, which got her a tentative friend. Impressed by his charm, she would have liked to have him be a part of her family by marriage, either with her or any of her cousins, but she wasn’t stupid to force a man to do something like this against their will. Elbert was so grateful to her that he promised her a favor of any kind. She declined, and advised the Arryn heir to not waste his time and to convince his uncle to negotiate marriage with his lady love. Lord Arryn didn’t like his nephew’s paramour much, but he was a reasonable man._

_Then her mother thought about Starks, but Doran and Oberyn vetoed the idea. Their heir was already betrothed to Tully girl, and Elia was a Princess of Dorne. If she had to marry a second son, then she might as well do so in her region. Besides, there were already rumors flying about Ned Stark and Ashara Dayne. A man, no matter how honorable he is, will never forget his first true love, so again, she had no desire to have something leftover by another._

_It was at the royal wedding that the sparks flew between her and Jaime._

_She honestly wasn’t expecting that. Nor did she expected King Aerys comments about how if it wasn’t for Summerhall, he never would have accepted a Lannister bride. Well, what he said was far less polite, but she didn’t think much about it until Lord Lannister approached her brother about a possible marriage between her and his heir._

_The relationship she had with her good father was strange. It was obvious that Tywin was not happy with her, often holding his tongue in front of everyone lest he say something to her he would regret later. In return, her family never forgot the words he told them when her mother approached him for a possible marriage. But things could have been worse, so she held her tongue. Her husband loved her, she was going to be a mother soon, and the Lannister Patriarch brought something out of her that she never thought she could ever have, a spine of steel and sense of the game._

_Because that’s what it was all around her, a game of power. You win or you lose. And Elia never dreamt of some grand magnificent future for herself, she would have been happy in her corner of the world, forgotten by all but her loved ones. But now, she is ambitious to not only protect her family but also to make them prosper._

_So yes, she is grateful to Tywin. If Aerys was her good father, she isn’t sure she would have survived unscathed. She would have been a meek, obedient little girl with no voice of her own. Maybe, she would have come to love Rhaegar, but now, she can’t think of any other besides the burning passion and love she has for Jaime. In the beginning, she feared that this would consume her, leaving only a husk behind, but her Husband returned her love tenfold, so her fears rest._

_It was Dorne that raised her, but it’s her husband’s love and her good father’s thinly veiled mockery that made her a woman she is today._

_And that is the woman that’s facing the lion today._

_“You mean to tell me that you” Tywin sneered, “can make the Vale back out from this war?”_

_Elia refrained from saying something incredibly insulting._

_“Yes.”_

_“I wasn’t ware this problem could be solved easily. Nor about my desperation to ask help from you.”_

_This time, she had to stop herself from throwing her shoes on that man. Truly, how can someone be so infuriating?_

_Breathing heavily, she replied. “You haven’t asked for help from me. I am the one offering it.”_

_“Again, I didn’t realize my options were so limited to accept your help.”_

_Or maybe she can throw snakes in his room and lock the door. That would be satisfying._

_But fine. Two can play this game._

_“Don’t be a fool, Lord Lannister. Aegon is going to be a King, and you won’t do anything to sabotage his future rule. So yes, maybe you can deal with Vale, but can you be sure that the action you would take wouldn’t come back to haunt you? Dealing with rebellious bannermen is all well and good, but Vale is an entirely different matter. Doing the same thing to them could splinter the whole realm, and then will you be satisfied that your grandson is going to rule over a broken kingdom. All for the sake of your pride.” She mocked._

_By the end of her tirade, Tywin’s eyes were wide. She snorted internally. That man was probably used to everyone being afraid of him to even open their mouths. So he was shocked at her open insult to him. Probably more because it came from her._

_Surprise didn’t last for long though. He narrowed his eyes._

_“And what if you fail?”_

_“Then I will accept whatever penalty you can think of.”_

_Silence descended on them. Tywin scrutinized her, lost in his thoughts. She kept her back straight. No need to show weakness._

_Finally, after contemplating for a while, he asked her. “I don’t suppose you are doing this out of goodness of your heart. What do you want?”_

_Elia smirked. “I thought you'd never ask, My Lord.”_

It was a well-known fact that Tywin hated his good daughter.

It was a lesser-known fact that Cersei didn’t like Elia that much either.

Maybe it was leftover infatuation over her twin that didn’t allow her to like her good sister too much, but the Dornish woman made Jaime happy, while simultaneously staying out of her path to being a queen. So yes, she doesn’t have to like Elia, but she can feel possessive of her. That woman was her and her twin’s key to happiness in different ways. If Cersei can have a prince, then Jaime can have his princess.

Which is the reason why she honest to Gods panicked when she learned that King summoned Elia to the Kings Landing. Apparently, he needed to keep Dornish “inline” through a hostage. She was pregnant for Seven’s sake!

And Jaime will most assuredly, do something monumentally stupid.

So she did something stupid before her twin could do anything.

“Are you mad, Cersei? Going to that viper’s pit? I know that you can protect yourself, but what about your children?”

Aunt Genna was shouting herself hoarse at Cersei while they were standing in the courtyard, overlooking the preparation for Princess’s impending journey.

“You know better than me Auntie, that Jaime will do something stupid sooner or later. And we can’t let that happen.” She replied in a tight voice.

“And what if he learns that you bore him twin grandchildren? Then what? Right now the only people who know about Tommen and Myrcella are our family or the Queen and younger prince. Imagine what will happen if anyone learns about them.”

In a fit of anger over the insult Rhaegar dealt her, she didn’t inform him of pregnancy. Her anger cooled as time passed, and she thought to surprise him whenever he returned, but when she got the letter about her husband running away with that chit, hatred consumed her. She wanted him to have no part in claiming her children, so she prayed furiously that her babies would not look anything like their father. And she got her wish, and gave them the names she wanted instead of Visenya or any other Targaryen name that the Crown Prince or King would have foisted upon them. She almost begged the queen to not tell anyone about them, and Rhaella agreed, thinking that Cersei will cool down sooner or later. But most of her family disapproved of her decision to not inform anyone else of twin’s birth.

“They will not be safe! All of them!”

Cersei took a long breath, then turned towards the older woman. “You are right, Auntie. Which is why you will take my children to Casterly Rock. Only I will be going to the Capital.”

Leaving her shell-shocked Aunt, she went to the nursery to see her children one last time before she started her journey.

Jaime was worried.

No, he was furious.

What in the seven hells prompted his Father to leave his wife alone in their ancestral home? Couldn’t he realize the danger he was putting Elia in?

And now, it was too late. His wife was in the capital, without any solid defense against the Mad King.

She had been in labor since dawn, and now it was close to noon. King Aerys banned midwives and maesters to tend her, citing her whore Dornish nature would be enough for her to give birth. He even posted guards on the doors to their rooms so that no one could help them.

He was at his wits end. Right now, he felt like crying like a baby. He even begged the guards to bring someone or something to help Elia, promising them gold and riches beyond their imagination, but nothing worked. Oberyn was already gone from the capital before there was even a rumor about Elia coming to Red Keep, and Lewyn Martell was on the battlefield. They were alone with no allies. And Kings Landing had been hard on Elia's health. Where she was glowing in their home in Westerlands, here, she become frail, sick and pale. She was in pain right now, and he could do nothing to help her.

In a moment of respite of her screaming, he untangled his hand from the tight grip she had it in, intending to grab his sword and committing several murders when his twin barged in like a hurricane, a group of women trailing behind her.

“Cersei?!!! What are you doing here?”

While he was gaping like a fish, his sister had descended upon him, tightly holding his arm, giving the women who were midwives orders as she dragged him away.

“When did you came here?”

Getting no reply, he gritted his teeth and cursed. “Dammit, Cersei! Answer me!”

She cast an uninterested glance towards him. “Right now. Now be quiet. Let them do their work in peace. Your squawking will do your wife no favor.”

At the mention of Elia, he collapsed on the chair placed near them, burying his face in his hands and praying for his wife and child’s life.

He only stopped when he was informed that the child and mother are doing well, and Elia will soon recover with proper food and attention.

And when his son was placed in his arms, he couldn’t stop his tears.

“Jason Lannister”, he rasped, “my little lion cub. Your roar will be loudest of us all.”

Cersei’s timely arrival at the capital saved Elia’s life. But their troubles weren’t over yet.

The new Master of Whispers, Varys, kept his eyes on every little thing that happened in the castle, which was problematic, for every man Lannisters bought, Varys acquired two more. In short, he was being a nuisance.

The reason for Oberyn’s departure was to investigate the eunuch’s origins. Until now there wasn’t any news on that front, but the Martell Prince was hopeful he will soon find something.

In the meanwhile, he did send a gift to his sister and good brother, confident that they will use it in the best way possible.

The whole situation finally climaxed roughly two months after the new Lannister baby was born.

Aerys was already too paranoid, fearing spies and assassins everywhere. On top of that, he surrounded himself with men who only worried about currying favor from him, sparing no thought to the running of the kingdom. One of them was the Hand of the King, a pyromancer, who filled King’s head with the fantasies of the revival of dragons.

After getting the news of a minor set back that Dornish forces faced at the hands of rebels, King Aerys raged in front of his small council. No one wanted to face the wrath of King, so some of them stayed quiet, but some started to spew hatred for Dornish, showing their clear disdain for them. The Mad King finally dismissed the council and shut himself in the throne room with his pet pyromancer. Fearing for worse, the Lannister twins and Martell Princess braced themselves for worse. They were hoping that Lord Lannister would arrive at the capital before something could happen, but something was delaying him and they were getting more paranoid than the King.

A day passed just like that, and another two. Finally, when they were starting to relax, a servant arrived, informing them that the King has summoned the Lannister Heir and his wife.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I forced myself to write this chapter. From now on, I swear off multi-chaptered stories. Even now I am not satisfied with it.  
> -The trial may seem offensive to many people, but please remember, in old age, very few civilizations gave women proper autonomy. So if you are offended by some of the questions Cersei is being asked, please don't get mad.

Jaime was sweating like a pig.

Correction. He felt like he was going to boil in his clothes.

The moment he entered the throne room along with his wife, the King started to scream and shout at Elia, blaming her and Dorne for the defeat they faced along with many other losses that he couldn’t even understand. The way it was going, King Aerys’s accusations were unlogical and wild.

“Ungrateful, pathetic wretches! How dare they lose to those scums! I will burn them all-“

 _Here we go._ If he didn’t fear for his life, Jaime would have rolled his eyes. Hard.

They were standing there in the presence of the whole court, many of them boot lickers and lackeys of the Mad King. Apparently, The King was conducting a trial against Dorne, trying to prove the whole region of treason. This was a first. The King has many “traitors” executed, but how was he going to deal with a whole region? Just because their troops suffered some losses, didn’t make the traitors. Dornish were much better at guerilla warfare because of the geography of their region. Making them fight head-on with their opponents was not only a waste of their talent but also a big mistake. Also, this was a civil war, not some petty rebels they were fighting. How could they win if they turned on their own allies?

 _If only that silver-haired pansy was here,_ Jaime thought furiously. Even with all his faults, no one could deny that the Crown Prince was a good strategist.

To top it all of, no one from Dorne was present in the capital. Prince Lewyn was on the battlefield, that fucker Arthur had also disappeared to Gods know where, which left his wife, Elia alone to _“stand as the representative of Dorne.”_ Which, rude, because she was a Lannister now, not Martell.

Jaime would not sulk. He would not.

As if she heard his thoughts, Elia turned towards him slightly, her lips quirked upward. Jaime sulked hard. His wife and sister sometimes treated him like an errant child, and the instances increased after his son was born.

Thinking about his sister, he could feel her glaring holes in his head. He was worried and scared, but he had been feeling both emotions for so long, he started to get tired of it. He just wanted it to be over so he could go back to play with Jason.

…He could feel his twin rolling her eyes from the other side of the room. Which wasn’t helping his sweaty state.

After a lot of posturing from many “witnesses”, the King announced that he sentences the whole Martell family to be executed by fire. Elia, his wife would be stripped of everything related to her heritage, including the Martell name and her title as a princess.

Jaime stood there, frozen in shock. Elia also stood still for a minute, then suddenly threw herself forward, grabbing the feet of the King and pleading for mercy for her family. That started a commotion, with King Aerys yelling and the guards running forward to wrench her away from the King and threw her at Jaime. Jaime quickly moved forward and grabbed her, hiding her face in his chest, fearing that if he let her go someone would grab her. Everyone froze.

Then the King suddenly stood up. “How dare you touch me, you whore! I will make you pay for it you dirty Dornish-“

The King was suddenly cut off mid-sentence when he swayed, or more accurately, slipped. The resulting fall would not have harmed him much, but only if he wasn’t standing so close to the throne. The throne made of swords. He was impaled on his own throne in a very gruesome manner.

Some people heaved at the sight.

“Call the master, now!” Cersei screamed. The guards rushed forward to remove the King from the throne, while the remaining ones ushered out everyone from the throne room. Jaime hurried along with them, taking his wife to their rooms, trying to scrub the image of the King from his mind.

In the evening, the bells rang in the capital. King Aerys Targaryen was dead.

Tywin Lannister arrived at the capital, bringing some prisoners with him.

Cersei welcomed him, garbed in a dress fit for morning.

“Finally, Father. What took you so long? We were growing old while waiting for you.” She was bitter. Extremely. What the fuck took him so long?

Tywin raised his eyebrow at her, conveying an expression that clearly implied she should watch her tone. “Covering your mistakes, actually. When you ran to the capital like an impulsive child, it fell on me to prepare adequate protection for your children. Can’t leave them just like that, especially at a time like this, which you irresponsibly did.”

She huffed. “Well then, you should have made sure Jaime had not come to King Landing.”

He glared, not amused with her grievances. “Summon everyone on the small council. I am going to act as the temporary Hand until everything blows over. And summon Pycelle right now.”

Cersei nodded, having already anticipated this order from her father, and sharply gestured to her Kingsguard. He bowed and rushed out to obey her order. Tywin, in the meanwhile, had an investigation to make.

With the death of King and the absence of Prince, the daily affairs of the crown fell into Lannisters hand firmly, especially the control of troops. Which meant that Tywin dealt with the rebellion swiftly with minimal losses on his side, just like he had planned. Robert wasn’t killed, just like Lord Baratheon demanded. But other leaders of rebellion were fair game. Now the only source of frustration was his failure to find the reason behind Aerys’ death. There was no way that man conveniently died like that. That kind of thing only happened in stories, not in reality.

He grilled Pycelle and the whole royal household, but it was of no use. The only thing that the man was sure about was that if, and if the poison was given to the dead King, there was no trace of it. Security, as always, was tight around Aerys, which made it close to impossible for an assassin to reach him. Tywin disagreed. When a door closes, another one opens, it was in human nature to find another way.

Once, he thought that his goddaughter was behind the whole matter, but he dismissed it. That was impossible.

(…He ignored the voice in his head that told him he was underestimating that woman, just like he did before.)

For now, he had to settle over dealing with the rebels and his errant Goodson.

It’s not every day all the Lord Paramounts are gathered in the capital.

Granted, some of them are prisoners, but the point is this, with this type of gathering, something big always happens.

Staying true to history, a trial was going to be conducted just a few days later, but the true decisions are not made in front of everyone, but behind closed doors.

One such decision was the fate of Crown Prince, and of his mistress and bastard son.

Oberyn, on Cersei’s behest, was going to give moon tea to Lyanna Stark, but Doran stopped them. The girl was too far along in her pregnancy, and there were already some complications. Doran reasoned that there were many other ways to deal with bastards, and they can’t kill the girl. Even though many people believed that the girl seduced Rhaegar, some people, most prominent among them the Northern ones, believed she was a helpless maiden abducted by the Prince. Killing her would only vilify them, not her.

But they could be dealt with later. Right now, Cersei could only think of how to respond to her husband’s request of meeting her.

Standing here, facing him, she was reminded of a similar meeting that happened a few years earlier. But this time, their positions were reversed.

Rhaegar looked weaker, like he hadn’t slept or eaten for a while. Oberyn hadn’t mistreated him and his companions, but the uncertainty and fear had made all of them weaker.

She remembered, again, how she told her father that she would be happy with the Prince, but now, all he wanted to do was bash his head. She couldn’t let go of the fact that he had humiliated her. Her pride was still one of the most important things to her.

As if noticing her gaze, he stirred, lifting his head from his hands. The room he was given was comfortable, but not befitting a royal. He was still a prisoner, which made it clear to him that he didn’t have much chances of getting out of this unscathed. But that would not stop him from demanding answers from everyone.

“Cersei.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Rhaegar.”

He sat there silently, staring at her, but didn’t say another word. She strode forward and sat down in the adjacent chair. “Cat got your tongue? Strange. You were the one who wanted to talk.”

“You killed Father just to get back at me, didn’t you?”

At this, she giggled hysterically, “Me? Kill the King? Why the fuck would I do that? I want revenge from you, and I am perfectly capable of getting it. How would killing your father help me get that? You hated him. And, haven’t you heard?” she smirked, clearly enjoying what she was going to say. “Everyone thinks your father was punished by Gods for passing unfair judgments. They are saying that Gods are not happy with a man who turned on his own allies. They also think of you as a heretic, trying to break away from your faith.”

His hands tightened on the armrests, but his face remained impassive. “Why?”

“I don’t know, maybe you were consorting with North too much? Or maybe it was the fact that you tried to annul our marriage, which was illegal last time I heard because there was no representative from my family. Or maybe, maybe it was your attempt of “marriage” with that whore under the purview of Northern Gods? Oh yes,” she smiled gleefully when she saw him turning pale. “What did you think was going to happen? Many people fear Lannisters, but let’s assume that this was not the case. Things like this don’t stay a secret for long. That maester that recorded that farce? He opened his mouth in front of the wrong person, and guess what? Faith does not like it when someone goes against them, not even the Grand Septon himself. Ah, religion, such a funny thing, people are mad for it, you know. Everyone is riled up outside, from those insignificant smallfolk to the high septons and nobility, thinking that you lawless and deviant, and had forsaken the Seven and them, trying to marry under other Gods.”

He flew up from his chair with an enraged expression, looking quite similar to his dead father. “I am a Targaryen! And the next king! I am the law! Targaryens have always been different, and everyone has accepted that.”

Her smile widened. “I am sure if you spend some effort, you might remember who crowned the Kings in past. And about being Targaryen, well, even Aegon the Conqueror could not stop the uprising that killed his children, and they had dragons. Face it Rhaegar,” she stood up, glaring at him, “you have no family, no friends, no allies. Your mother is more concerned with her other son, you alienated North, Stormlands and Westerlands, Dorne and Iron Islands don’t give a fuck about you, Vale won’t come for your help either. Reach won’t go against us, and Crownlands is the center of Faith. You. Are. Alone.”

He still wasn’t ready to admit defeat, she could see that clearly, but she didn’t care much. What she said was the truth after all. Everyone was in uproar when it got out that he married Lyanna Stark under the Old Gods, thinking that he had converted to Northern religion. And while unprecedented, it wasn’t a surprise. No one was ready to accept a faithless King, because later on such a person could undermine the authority of a widely accepted religion, and no one likes that, especially those made money from Faith and the religious ones.

“I want to see the Grand Septon.”

She replied, “Not possible.”

He forced a neutral expression. “I see. You are going to get rid of me with the excuse of religion. Alright then. What about my wife and son?”

She sneered. “Still worried about your whore and bastard? Even at this point when you are going to lose everything, you still care about her. At this point, I am not going to ask why you did this to me,” she hissed, suddenly feeling all the emotions that she had been repressing for a long time, humiliation, anger, desperation, sadness, and most of all, resignation. “I was a dutiful wife. I supported you, I was loyal to you, wouldn’t have minded if you had kept a mistress. But you just had to ruin everything. Most importantly, I gave you children. Oh wait,” she laughed sharply, “You haven’t heard yet, have you? When you went on your romantic adventure, I had twins.”

His eyes were wide in shock. “What?”

“Congratulations. Guess I have to tell all four of them you were more concerned about our whore and bastard.”

He yelled. “He is not a bastard!”

She rolled her eyes. “Your second marriage was not lawful, so he was born a bastard.”

He suddenly grabbed her, shaking her like a madman, “Don’t you dare do anything to them.”

She tossed his hands away with a sharp motion. “I don’t have to do anything to all of you at this point. You have done enough.” She turned away, striding out of the room.

“Keep an eye on him. Don’t let anyone come into contact with him.” She ordered the guards, hurrying away. She had to talk to Elia.

The next day, everyone gathered at the Sept of Baelor. The Grand Septon made a small speech about the preservation of the sanctity of Faith, ordered the accused to be brought forward.

The Gold Cloak brought Rhaegar forward. He wasn’t in chains, and looked in good health and shape, if one could ignore the dark circles under his eyes. His clothes, while not befitting his station, were still good enough for a royal. No one wanted to be accused of foul play, so they didn’t mistreat him other than restricting his movements and communication.

“We have gathered here in front of the Seven to conduct a trial on Rhaegar Targaryen, formerly the Crown Prince of Targaryen Dynasty. As everyone can see, this is a unique situation, because today’s proceedings involve a Royal that would have been, in normal circumstances, crowned as King. But that has not happened due to the nature of the whole situation, we contacted the Royal Household. The next person to be the head of the Royal Family is Prince Aegon, who is too young to understand the situation; Prince Viserys is not of age yet. So with the mutual consent of Dowager Queen, Rhaella Targaryen, mother of the accused, The Sept and Faith will only determine whether the accused is eligible to be the next King or not. The punishment, in the case defendant is proven guilty of the crimes he is accused of, will be determined by the council formed by the consent of the Royals mentioned earlier, along with the Hand, Lord Paramounts, or representatives of all the regions.”

Everyone nodded sharply. Such a thing has not happened in history, so it took a revision of all the laws to arrange everything.

“Rhaegar Targaryen is accused of forsaking the Faith of Seven. He is also accused of an attempt of illegal annulment of a lawful marriage. He is accused of falsifying the records for not only a false annulment but an unlawful marriage and the legitimacy of a natural-born child. We can pass the judgment only on the first accusation as per our agreement.”

“The first witness is Maester Samuel.” At this, a white-haired, middle-aged old man stood up and came forward.

“Maester Samuel, can you recount all the events from when the accused contacted you?” after swearing necessary oaths, Septon got to the point.

“Certainly. Prince Rhaegar contacted me sometime after the Tourney of Harrenhal, inquiring about the practices of polygamy in Faith. When I responded back, I made it clear that such practice was not accepted by any faith, he asked about the annulment. I told him that such a thing can be done by the consent of both parties, or by King himself or the Grand Sept.”

“The King himself did not do such thing. When asked, the Lannister family made it clear that they were unaware of the whole matter. So how did you enter the records of annulment in the Citadel?”

“Prince Rhaegar came to me with a missive of former Grand Septon Maynard and Lyanna Stark and three Kingsguards. The missive claimed that he had granted annulment, and also conducted the ceremony of marriage between the Prince and Lady Stark.”

“I see. And how did you say he conducted the ceremony?”

“He said that ceremony was made in front of a Heart tree.”

Grand Septon contemplated for a moment. “Strange, that a septon of Faith of the Seven would do such a thing, and a Grand Septon at that. But there was another partially filled record of an unborn child. Can you explain that?”

“Yes, certainly, your holiness. Prince Rhaegar claimed that this marriage was to be kept secret until his ascension to Kingship. He later sent me a missive that Lady Stark was with a child, and instructed me to prepare records for a child. He said that the records could be completed after the child was born. This was to be done so that later no one could claim the unborn a child to be a bastard, as it was supposed to be the heir of Prince Rhaegar, which meant that if the child was born a son, no one could dispute his right to the throne over the children of Princess Cersei, who already had a son and daughter before the rebellion, and another son and daughter during the rebellion.”

It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, especially the Royal family and Lannisters, because they had already investigated the whole thing. But it didn’t lessen the hurt that Cersei felt every time she thought about how her own children were made to be bastards by their own father.

“That will be all, Maester Samuel.”

The man nodded and went back to his previous place. Grand Septon contemplated the whole matter for a minute, and then cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, Grand Septon Maynard passed away last year, so we can’t ask his reasons for granting annulment. Nevertheless, this matter can still be cleared right now. Cersei Targaryen, step forward.”

At her queue, she strode to the center of the sept. “Grand Septon.” She said respectfully.

“Can you provide some answers to make the whole matter clear?”

She breathed deeply. “Certainly.”

“Have you ever consented to the annulment?”

“No.”

“Has anyone from your family consented to it?”

“No one.”

“Did you enter this marriage with our maidenhood intact?”

“Yes.”

“Have you consummated the marriage with Rhaegar Targaryen?”

“Yes. The proof to both questions was the blood sheets presented to the King next morning.”

“How many children do you have?”

“Four.”

“Any mishaps or complications in childbirth?”

“None.”

“Are you still healthy and capable of bearing more children?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been convicted of any crime?”

“No.”

“Do you have a sickness or disease?”

“No.”

“Were you faithful to your husband?”

“Yes.”

“How would you prove that all your children are from Rhaegar Targaryen?”

“Each one of my children possesses traits commonly seen in Targaryen. Aegon is silver-haired and purple-eyed, Rhaenys have purple eyes, and while my youngest children do not have any Targaryen coloring, they both have birthmarks only Targaryens have.”

“When you entered this marriage, you were a woman blooded?”

“Yes.”

“Are you devout to Faith of the Seven?”

“Yes.”

“That will be all.”

Cersei went back to her previous position at the clear dismissal.

“Everyone here has seen all the four children. Representatives from the Seven have observed the birthmarks on younger children. A maester has examined the Princess and verified her fertility. In short, the annulment granted to the marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen and Cersei Targaryen nee Lannister is hereby declared was baseless and illegal. The four children, Aegon, Rhaenys, Tommen, and Myrcella are hereby confirmed to be legitimate and trueborn Targaryens. No matter the outcome of today’s trial, the matter of their legitimacy will not be visited again. Strike all the records that claim otherwise.”

Cersei sucked a relieved breath. Elia, who was standing near her with Jaime, squeezed her hand reassuringly. The biggest problem was solved. Now they could easily move forward without any worry.

“Coming back to the original matter, again we cannot question the former Grand Maester why he conducted the marriage. So we have to make do with what we have. Present Lyanna Stark.”

At this, a nervous, pale girl stepped forward at Lord Stark’s urging. Everyone was surprised to see the Lord and his heir in good health standing there, which was shocking news to rebels. She looked much different than earlier. Clearly, childbirth took a toll on her.

“Rhaegar Targaryen claims that he married you. Is that true?”

She replied in a low voice, “Yes.”

At this man people scoffed. Lyanna flinched, and anger was evident on her father and brother's faces, but they were surrounded by guards, so they stayed quiet.

“As I have mentioned earlier, the punishment will be decided by a council. To save everyone’s time, I will ask you, were you abducted, or you went along with this willingly?”

She cleared her throat, “I went willingly.”

At this, everyone became silent. The Northern especially were frozen in shock. Others were vindicated.

“I see. If I may inquire, why?”

At first, she was hesitant, but she grew confident as she went on. “My father betrothed me to Robert Baratheon against my will. I expressed my discontent, but no one cared. Everyone knows that he has natural-born children, and he boasted about them many times in the presence of my brothers. When Prince Rhaegar contacted me, I was relieved. He offered me a way out, and I was also interested in him, so I went with him.”

“Even though you knew he was a married man with children?”

She flinched again, but still braved on. “He told me that he married Cersei because of his father. He didn’t love her. She was duty to him. He also said that he loved me, and to show his sincerity, he will marry me, but for now, we had to keep this a secret.”

“Maester Samuel claims that he first inquired about polygamy. Can you tell us why he changed his mind?”

It was clear that she was forcing herself to answer. “I told him that the North does not accept a man with two wives. If he wanted to be with me, he had to marry me, and I would only accept him if he accepts me as his only wife.”

Cersei clenched her fingers. Some people today might claim that even if she went willingly, she was a child coerced by an older man. But now, with this admission, no one could stay in denial about her intentions. Cersei was right. Lyanna was not only a whore to her, but now an opportunist, scheming, homewrecker. The only reason she didn’t do anything right now was because Elia had grabbed her arm tightly, not letting her do something she would later regret.

“Former Grand Septon Manyard had already granted annulment to Rhaegar. Then why did you not get married in a sept?”

Lyanna Stark was now forcing each word out as if they were hurting her physically. “North and the Old Gods would not have accepted my marriage if it was in a sept, and I made this fact clear to Rhaegar.”

“And he didn’t raise any objection to it? Marrying under different faith?”

She closed her eyes. “No, he did not.”

Grand Septon made a gesture, dismissing her, and then turned towards Prince. “Rhaegar Targaryen, did you, in a clear state of mind, consented to the marriage with the Old Gods as your witness?”

Rhaegar replied. “Yes, I did.”

“Did you consider a polygamous relationship before your attempt at annulment?”

He again replied, “Yes, yes I did.”

At this, the Grand Septon faced everyone gathered there. “There is no doubt now what transpired. If it was anyone else marring under the old Gods, this marriage would not have been a problem. But a King of the Seven Kingdoms has to be devout to the Faith of the Seven. If his mistress didn’t make it clear to him that she will not accept to share him with another woman, then this man would have forced all of us to accept a King with two wives. He would have lived a life of sin. And today he would have done this, what else could he have done tomorrow to harm the Faith of the Seven? Everyone knows that while a dutiful prince, he has never declared himself to be devout, preferring the Targaryen practices. And he tried to declare his marriage under another faith to be legal. He is an impudent, self-centered man who could have forced all of us in the future to live a life filled with his sins. Should every maiden and wife live in fear that her husband would bring another woman in their homes, forcing them too to live a life of sin with their husbands?”

At this, everyone agreed. Such a thing cannot be accepted, no matter if one was faithless or not.

Grand Septon declared. “Hence, we pass our judgment with the blessing of Seven. Because he turned away from the Seven, Rhaegar Targaryen is stripped of his status as Crown Prince. He will never be appointed as the King of Seven Kingdoms. His fate will be decided by the council. May Gods bless us.”

The same judgment was later announced in the public. But the day was not over yet.

“Today, we have all gathered here to pass judgment on the former Crown Prince, as well as the instigators of rebellion,” Tywin announced sharply, standing in the throne room. The whole court was present. His voice was clear and calm. “It is important to note that these decisions are made by the King, but as you can see, these are not normal circumstances, with the King dead and the next candidate not eligible to be crowned as King, it is imperative that we first clear some matters. Prince Aegon is too young to be crowned, so I will serve as his regent until Prince Viserys is of age and gives up his claim to the throne, and he will serve as the regent until Prince Aegon himself is of age. If Prince Viserys refuses to do so, I will remain regent until Prince Aegon is of age. A small council will be formed, containing the representatives of each region to oversee the matters of state. For now, let us hear what the council has decided for the former Crown Prince.”

At this, Lord Tarly stepped forward. At Tywin's nod, he stated. “It is not a punishment as much as it is a precaution. Rhaegar Targaryen tried to remove his children from the line of succession by declaring them, bastards. And that was when he was second in line to the throne. Now he does not possess any power to do so, but for the realm’s peace and safety, he cannot be allowed to stay in the capital, neither can he be exiled to Essos. So he is sentenced to the Wall.”

At this, Rhaegar closed his eyes and lowered his head. He had no choice to accept this. Cersei, on the other hand, didn't display a single emotion, but internally, she was satisfied. She had fulfilled the promise she made to her husband all those years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so let me make something clear. The questions Cersei is being asked, they are actually the terms for the annulment, which I researched according to American laws. And wow that was shocking. See, in our country, you can not annul a marriage, which essentially means you can't pretend it never happened. You divorce or terminate it, but annulment can never, ever happen.  
> Then there is the matter of Grand Septon Manyard, who wiki claims married Lyanna to Rhaegar. I did not know that. I had to backtrack. Hard.  
> Anyway, there are still some things left unclear, so I will post single chaptered sequels to make them clear. If you have any request, or notice something wrong, just inform me!  
> 12/25/2020: Some minor editing, spellchecking, and if no one has bothered to read the ending again, I changed it. I can't believe I wrote and posted this shit without thinking. Admittedly, I was sick, stressed, and sleep-deprived when I wrote it, but still, it is bad:(  
> Also, any sequel that I will write will be in after February, because 1) winter, and I like to hibernate, 2) doing nothing for the first half of the semester is coming back to bite me in the ass. Granted, my research supervisor is super slow, but he is not the one who has to spend an extra semester to complete the practical work. I can't pay for that, it's too expensive (-_-)

**Author's Note:**

> It may seem like Cersei is not as ruthless as her canon counterpart, but the reason for that is King Aerys didn't reject her as a potential bride for his son, so that he could get Summerhall back to its original glory. So she was happy that she got her dream prince, and hence didn't have a relationship with her twin-like in cannon. Also, Rhaegar was aloof, but he wasn't a violent drunk or a serial cheater, unlike Robert. Though their marriage wasn't the romantic adventure she originally imagined, her husband did respect her enough. Even when she learned about Lyanna Stark, deep down she did know that her husband didn't really love that girl, but her injured pride refused to acknowledge this fact. She is still ruthless, but she hadn't lost morals completely. Well, not yet.


End file.
